Kelvin Hall cultural centre plans win funding approval

Plans to turn Glasgow’s 1927 Kelvin Hall into a cultural centre have received a £4.8m funding boost from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The former home of the Transport Museum would be transformed under the proposals to house 1.5m items drawn from the city’s own civic collection and Glasgow University’s Hunterian Museum.

Amongst the objects penciled in for public display at the venue is a suite of interiors designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh for Mrs Cranston’s tearooms.

It forms part of a wider initiative to create a cultural quarter connecting with the Hunterian and Kelvingrove.

Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: "Glasgow's Museum Collection is regarded as being internationally significant and this partnership with the University of Glasgow would open up these outstanding collections to more people and be a major addition to Glasgow's cultural attractions. It is a plan that would also secure the future for what has become one of Glasgow's most-loved buildings."

In addition to gallery space a Collections Study Centre will also be created for teaching, training and research and sporting facilities; including a fitness suite and five a side sports pitches, will also be created.